comparison of classical and operant conditioning

role of learner

classical conditioning: the learner does not have to be involved or do anything in particular for the learning to take place. the learner is passive operant conditioning: the learner has to engage with their environment in order for the learning to take place. the learner is active

acquisition

classical conditioning: the process of pairing a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus over a number of trials to produce an unconditioned response operant conditioning: the process of a particular behaviour being followed by a reinforcing or punishing consequence over a number of trials

spontaneous recovery

classical conditioning: the reoccurrence of a conditioned response that had previously been extinguished, without any additional pairings of the conditioned stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus operant conditioning: the reoccurrence of a learned response that had previously been extinguished, without the presentation of any additional reinforcement

the nature of the response

classical conditioning: the response elicited is involuntary operant conditioning: the response elicited is voluntary

the timing of the stimulus and response

classical conditioning: the stimulus is presented first followed by a involuntary response operant conditioning: a voluntary response occurs first and is followed by a stimulus that acts as a consequence for the behaviour

stimulus generalisation

classical conditioning: when a neutral stimulus that is similar to the conditioned stimulus causes a conditioned response to occur, despite never having been paired with the unconditioned stimulus operant conditioning: the learner produces a response in a similar situation to that which normally results in reinforcement or punishment occurring

stimulus discrimination

classical conditioning: when the conditioned response is not elicited by a neutral stimulus despite its similarity to the conditioned stimulus operant conditioning: the learner produces a behaviour only in the situation where a reinforcement or punishment occurs, and not in other similar situations

extinction

classical conditioning: when the conditioned stimulus is repeatedly presented without the unconditioned stimulus, the conditioned response weakens until it does not occur at all operant conditioning: the gradual decrease in the rate of a response until it eventually does not occur at all. this occurs when reinforcement or punishment is no longer delivered following the response it had previously reinforced or punished